


Nothing Special

by DrPaine



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, I used to think my headcanons re: gem recycling were too dark, then Keeping It Together happened :')
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-09 22:21:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4366379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrPaine/pseuds/DrPaine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Compassion isn't something Peridot is familiar with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing Special

_“You… bubble the Gems you defeat?”_

_“Well, yeah! What else would we do with them?”_

Peridot shook her head, fiddling with some meaningless spreadsheet on her datapad as she tried to process what the (no, no, _just_ – not ‘the’, not 'a’) Steven had just told her. What she had just witnessed. The Crystal Gems fighting against some horribly corrupt Corundum until she had been forced back into her gem.

She had seen similar sights on Homeworld, down in the quarries or in arenas, the Crystal Gems followed much the same procedure she’d been taught: assess, engage, destabilize. But bubbling… Peridot barely saw that ability used any more, only if one had to transport items somewhere immediately.

“T… they’re useless,” the green Gem found herself saying, unable to meet Steven’s gaze. She could see just out the corner of her eye though, his bright expression had fallen some. “They’re useless, they’re _dangerous_!”

“Well yeah, but they’re still Gems,” Steven replied with a shrug.

Peridot looked at him now, the screen vanishing as her fingers curled. “They’re… why should that matter?” she said quietly.

“Because…” Steven looked uneasy, and a flash of regret shot through Peridot at the bewildered, almost hurt expression he wore. “Because if you’re alive, that means you deserve to keep living, right? Even if Gems aren’t alive the same way things on Earth are, they’re still…” He frowned, scratching at his head. “Uh… y-you get it, right? Even if they went corrupt, they’re still Gems and we have to do what we can! Even if we can’t help them yet, we’ll figure it out and one day we’ll be abl–”

“You would h… help them?”

Steven nodded. “That’s what my mom tried to do, and I want to help them too,” He was silent for a moment, and then– “W… what… usually happens?”

Peridot sighed, drawing her knees up and turning her eyes to the ocean. She didn’t want to see his reaction– even if it was a fact of life to her, she felt it would… be rather startling, to him. “They’re shattered,” she said. “Not just corrupt Gems, a… any Gem can be subjected to it.”

She glanced back at Steven. All traces of his smile were gone, but he didn’t appear as horrified as she’d expected. So she did not feel bad for continuing.

“Being a Gem isn’t anything special. Some are rarer, or are otherwise exceptionally valuable. But with most Gems, there’s a thousand others just like you. If you make trouble or can’t do your job, you’re flawed–” Her voice broke for a moment, her fingers curled tight, fear and revulsion welling in her chest. “They can find a better one without any trouble, and even the most pathetic Gem can be broken down and rebuilt.” She looked at Steven then, and the look on his face assured her he understood what she meant.

She expected him to run then, or… something. Anything aside from what actually happened.

Steven moved to sit closer, looking at her with the most curious expression that she couldn’t… entirely name. Something almost like pain. Like fear, sadness like–

“Is that what would happen to you?” he asked.

Peridot turned away, light glaring off her visor. 'Yes’, she tried to say. Tried to say how she’d been on her last chance as it was, she’d already been subject to correctional measures before, how she’d been placed on the simplest possible mission, one that couldn’t be screwed up and yet here she was, stranded and faced with certain death if she showed her face on any Gem-controlled planet again. No– not death, she would be made to live again in who knew how many other Peridots; or whatever sort of Gem her minerals would go into.

All that came out was a pathetic whimper, her shoulders shaking as Peridot found herself crying for the first time in her life.


End file.
